Ashes to Ashes
by drace-hunter
Summary: [deathfic oneshots] Nothing gory. just a bit sad I guess. just about when the character is buried or a grave visit. chp4 naruto
1. Out like a Man :naruto

**Out Like a Man

* * *

It wasn't like what he had thought it would be. He had thought on it once or twice... always fearing and denying it. Yet... he had always thought it would be much different then what he was. He expected... expected... he was sure that it had to be something close to how he had thought it would go. **

Of course... that would break his record of being the number one loud and unpredictable ninja of Konoha. So perhaps he should have expected that anything he expected was going to be wrong.

Sasuke looked to his left. Sakura was weeping loudly with Ino and Hinata was clutching onto Kiba with tear racing down her cheeks. Konohamaru had a pained look to his face, as did a throng of other adults in the group. They all had come to grow strong under the gentle and strong hands of a fox carrier. It was... ironic.

Sasuke looked back at the coffin that laid open, and the dead body that lay there without a thought about anything or anyone. Just laid there. Dead.

"...dobe... ...figures you would go out like that." he said. Voice gravelly. Not from tears. There were none to be had. Naruto wouldn't have cried over his dead body either. Not if he'd died the same way. No, Naruto would probably have said something about it being fitting. Sasuke's gaze flicked towards the Hokage as he began to speak. He would be a good leader, Sasuke thought randomly, he was trained by one of the best Hokages Konoha had had after all.

_"**We are all gathered here today to ..."**_

Sasuke didn't really care what the Hokage said about the corpse. Naruto would have rolled his eyes. Naruto didn't like boring ceremonies. It was pointless and annoying. Hell, when Naruto had become the Rokudaime, he had refused to go through the whole formal thing. He said he didn't want -in his own words- 'jack shit' done about his coming into the position.

_"...** he lead us with the wisdom and strength that** ..."_

He had wanted to just sit behind the desk and take the reigns. No party, no drinking. Just the change. Sasuke had understood. Naruto didn't want to make a deal out of it. It shouldn't have mattered. That's what Naruto had thought. He was Hokage, not Rokudaime, not Kyuubi, not even Uzumaki Naruto. He was Hokage. Sasuke had just nodded, told the Dobe it was about time. Then never said a thing about it again. Naruto had smirked at that. They understood each other like that.

_"... **although it pains us all that he never married, nor had children. He called and took us all in as his children. He feed us, and healed us, he was the balm to our souls when we broke and thought we could take no more**..."_

He had to agree with that statement. He was the one who fed and healed the village. Fed it laughter and life, healed the hearts that suffered under the tolls of war and missions. He was the balm that cared about each and every shinobi and villager alike. Not even the kind old Sandaime had been able to keep his eyes and ears so tuned to each person. Naruto always knew.

_"... **we all fought for him and the village, and had we been able would have fought with him so this great sorrow could have not come to pass..."**_

Naruto always knew when someone needed him. Or just needed someone. He often never sat in the Hokage chair. He was always outside, somewhere in the village. Healing souls. Bringing laughter. He would appear when a small village child fell and scraped their knee and no mommies or daddies were there to kiss it better. He would. He'd peck the poor knee, and offer a brotherly smile. Take that tiny hand and tell stories. His voice, like a sirens call, would bring other small bodies to hear. Then he would start a game for tiny hearts, and drift out and away without a sad face to be seen. Off to help the next needy.

_"...**in his time as Hokage he had done and accomplished many great deeds**..."_

He would always find his way to the Academy, watching young genin-hopefuls train. His warmth and hands guiding a child who was maybe unable to grasp the lesson. His hand gently petting the head of child geniuses who would get a smile that said they really, not just because it was expected, but really, did a good job. His eyes would glitter with humor as pranks were pulled on poor teachers, or on himself. Enjoying everything that came with the small and still untainted life of genin-hopefuls.

_"...**he remade the clan laws so that all, not just the best, were equal**..."_

He gave these tiny children his encouragement and gentle guidance. His acknowledgment of their skills, and of just them. Yet it wasn't the only stop he made. He would come along when young genin teams were training with their senseis and watch with warmth. Ask about their missions so far. help them learn chakra control, maybe teach a jutsu to them. He would chuckle with the jonin sensei when the poor man or woman bemoaned having so many D rank missions. Listen to fears about upcoming exams for the kids.

_"... **he brought peace to many villages, not only our own**..."_

Then Naruto would come along chunin and jonin who would be mission tired, and maybe pained from loss or hurt in injury. He would listen, with warm smiles to happiness, and soulful, and emotion filled eyes about death and pain and blood. He would listen and care. Then strong arms would hold and a shoulder would carry the weight of tears. His lips would utter soft words, and allow for even the most hard of hearts to open up and let themselves bleed out. Then he would use two hands, and mend the holes, and stitch together the gaping wounds of hearts. Put them together, and always be aware of those scars. He would carefully touch each scar and heart, giving all the warmth and love he could to each. He held those poor hearts and took in all that pain to allow them to walk on, and love even though shinobi were just 'tools'.

_"...**as a Hokage, he was fare and just. He came from a childhood where this may have been the only two things never applied to him**..."_

But where Naruto's strongest moments were... was when he appeared in the missions room. When, with no words to comfort. No way to begin. He would come up and wrap caring, loving, and just simple understanding arms around a wrath figure called ANBU. He would hold them close and hum softly under his breath. Arms holding tightly, a hand softly rubbing the backs upon which the village placed the most gory and terror filled missions. Sasuke was always humbled by that. Seeing the stoic mask of an animal, held close by the Hokage. Seeing the blood stained white figure, go from standing so ridged and proud and deadly. To turning into the embrace and curling into that comfort. Seeing arms shake as they slipped up around the shoulders and neck of their Hokage. Seeing the figure shake and hear soft keens and whines that made no real words, nor very loudly done, come out from that cold mask. And Naruto would just hold on tight, rock slowly back and forth with that wrath clinging to him. He'd soothe this human, who just did deeds that should not have had to have been asked of it. He didn't try to make it better with words. Didn't try to explain it out. He simply held them tight. He wrapped those arms around them, and kept the world away. The ANBU would just shake and keen and whine. They didn't have words to explain the pain. And Naruto didn't have words to soothe it. So they just held on tight.

_"... **as he was young he was called, unfairly, the demon in which had been**..."_

Sasuke knew. He knew that there wasn't an ANBU or former ANBU who wouldn't have followed Naruto to the darkest depths of hell. They had a debt to him. He kept their souls, he held them like fragile glass, and tended to them like a tiny fire that needed a soft life giving breath of air. He kept the souls, until it was time for them to stop the gruesome work, and then he helped them learn to live again.

Sasuke let his eyes scan about. A smile slipped upon his face. There was probably not one ANBU not present at this. They lined along the roof tops, their cold faces looking on with grim silence. Yet, like cascading rain, tears slid out from behind every mask. Naruto had been the world to every ANBU, present and former. He always kept his arms open to all, but always made it a point to seek out the ANBU. Even after he had passed on his title of Hokage to his successor, he still was there. It would be... darker... without Naruto here. He was always such a bright flame, that made even the darkest of shadows stay away. Not that there would be a coming night to Konoha, but, it would never be as startlingly white and clean and pure and bright. As it had with Uzumaki Naruto there to light it up.

_"**And so let us remember, and honor the memory of our dearly beloved Rokudaime, Uzumaki Naruto**."_ The Hokage finished, his voice thick with tears. Crying was heard among the crowd, the rooftops, Sasuke didn't think there was any place there was no tears.

Except for on his face, and Naruto's.

_**"...Uchiha-dono, will now say a few words, as well as give to last words spoken before the death of Uzumaki Naruto."**_ the Hokage finally said after a moment. Sasuke wasn't surprised at how Sakura looked like she was angry for the lack of tears on his face. Sasuke didn't care. Naruto would know why.

_"... I'm rather... surprised. A tad annoyed as well. It was so... so Naruto-ish of him to die like this."_ Sasuke started. He could see anger and confusion. They would kill any man who would dare foul mouth Naruto, he knew that, because he would have too.

_"...I had thought about how exactly he would die a time or two. I always said it wouldn't happen... 'over MY dead body' I would think... but still... I know he wasn't going to live forever... so I always thought I knew how he would die... so of course, the last thing he does is piss me off by proving he still had it. Was still the number one ninja at surprising people by dying in a way I had never thought he would."_ there were a few watery chuckles at that. Naruto never lost that old habit of surprise. He called it his own personal ninjutsu.

_"I had always thought... he would go down... fighting. His last deed taking out the enemy with him. A noble death. Or like the forth, giving his life for some huge impressive feat that should have been impossible."_ Sasuke stopped, thinking about all those impressive ways Naruto was going to die. _"...or ... I had thought he would fall under the pressure. Thought he might take his own life. Or give up and take a suicide death after the team he was on mission with died... still... maybe from the loneliness or from an emotional loss."_ Sasuke let those ideas all sink in to the heads of everyone. Then he got a rueful smile.

_"I never thought he'd just die of old age. Never thought he'd slip away without a sound, or wound, or some last great impressive thing to mark his own death. Hell, he wasn't even awake one minute, dead the next. He just... fell asleep for an afternoon nap, and fell away peacefully in his sleep. Not an illness, nor some failing of his body, simply his time was done. And off he went to sleep in heaven's embrace. I suppose Kami-sama was glad to finally have one of his best back."_ Sasuke said with a quirk of his lips. Sad smiles and teary eyes met that. Sasuke then looked up, around, then gave a soft snort of amusement.

"_I had thought about the day he would be buried too... thought the sky would pour like the oceans dropped themselves. Or snow maybe. Then there would be the bright sunny day to remember him in. Yet... here it is. Just a day. Nothing special about it to nature... just another dead human."_ he could see people getting mad at the 'just another dead human part'. He would have to explain it he supposed. _"...he'd have liked that."_ confusion looked back at him. He smiled.

"_He would have liked this a lot. No big deal, just another man dead. Just one more human under the dirt. Not... not some demon to have the sky ablaze with fire, the body sealed under some rock or some great beast now tearing through the village... ...just a man dead. Nothing more, nothing less. He'd have liked that."_ Sasuke could see... could see them all finally understand. Naruto, died as a man. Not as a demon vessel. He'd have liked that.

Sasuke took a breath of spring/summer air. Again, nothing special about the time. And he finished his speech. _"...he died in his sleep. At around two in the afternoon... he hadn't known he would die, nor had he dressed or changed or thought in any special way. He had gone to nap like he would have any other day for the past thirty years I've roomed with him. The last thing he had said, was, of course... '**I'm gonna go have a nap**.'"_ Sasuke could see the sparkle of laughter, and happy sadness in the eyes of everyone. It wasn't that Naruto was so great to have known his own death was coming, nor did he make some vain attempt to keep people unaware. He had just simply died. Slipped away without a sound, and without some great marker.

"_In like a demon, out like a man_." was how Sasuke finished his speech. Then he turned, closed the lid to the coffin, patted it, then made his way home. His old legs carrying him, joints sore from age, hair a steel gray. His back was slumped slightly, but he still walked with the pride of an Uchiha. He wondered, as he finally made it into the house, if he too, would just... go out like a man.

He kinda had a feeling... that... that might just be what would happen. And... that wouldn't be a bad way to go.

* * *

**Drace:**_ yeah... this is just something i wanted to do... call me morbid... but i think i might do a few oneshots of how Naruto dies... or I might pick a few other people to try too... but I wanted to do this one. I have a couple of other ones. but... i dunno... If there is more, they are going to focus on death. as in, it will be someone's funnel or deathbed -with the person already dead- in all the fics. sooo... lettme know what you all think! If you catch some bad spelling... oops!... especially with the names and japanses words... my spell checker tells me they aren't words so it's kinda hard... my spell checker is a much abused and loved thing. _


	2. Underneath the Underneath :naruto

'**Underneath the Underneath'**

**

* * *

**

The wind danced softly through the trees, leaves making that calming rustle music. Faintly, just on the edge of hearing, you could hear the rushing of a nearby river. And if you were quiet enough to hear the river, you could hear the faint sounds of the village. The screams and laughter of children, the calls of parents, and calls of storekeepers. Life was moving all around this place, and if you were so quiet... you could hear it move. Hear it passing you by.

"Must you insist on coming out here! You're far to old to be this far from the village!" a miffed young man complained. His footfalls hard and agitated as he plodded up the soft grassy slope.

"..."

"Arg! Why? Why the hell are you coming all the way out here! To just sit under some stupid tree! You're too old for this shit! Now come on! Oka-san will be worried! You aren't supposed to be out and about like this!" the young man yelled at the other.

"...quiet. If you're going to blather on like a bastard leave me alone... I can find my way back. I know every tree in this village.. I'm sure I can manage to find my own house." a gravely old voice replied. The tone cracked and raspy, but still proud and strong.

"...why are you out here oya-jii? It's just a tree. We have those closer home you know." the boy muttered unhappily. The older man continued to climb the slope with a painfully slow hobble. His right leg unable to bear his full weight, the old man should have had a cane, but he was too proud to reduce himself to it. His hair was a soft silver grey ... reminiscent of his own sensei's hair. Wrinkles and bones, all somehow merely made him look old... not ugly or decrepit.

"... ...go home Kakashi. I want to sit awhile without having to listen to _your_ sage advice." the elder finally replied, a dark eyed gaze settling heavily on the young man.

"Fine! Stay out here and die for all I care!" the young man then stopped down the hill. His back hair whipping one the wind. His shoulders tight with tension and anger. The black shirt marred only by the fan symbol on the back. Old eyes felt a soft sigh at a memory very similar.

"... stop laughing you dobe." the man replied to the wind. He then eased himself onto the ground beside the tree. Huffing a bit, his lungs and body needing a rest to catch up with the effort it took to get out here.

"...for his sake... I hope it wont have the same result. It was rather cruel of you to go like that you know." only the sounds naturally heard echo in the area. Sasuke, now much too old to be a shinobi, could enjoy those sounds. He'd been taught by another man how to enjoy them.

"..." Sasuke found there weren't many words to say after that. He merely sat and remembered his old friend. His team that had left to wait on the other side. Sakura and Kakashi had probably stopped waiting by now. Naruto was probably whining at him now, something about no ramen because he had to wait for his skinny pale snake ass.

Sasuke smiled at the thought. Naruto always bitched at him. He was one of the few people that even had had the nerve to. Naruto would have liked to have met Kakashi... his grandson. The two of them would spend the day whining about him. And then Naruto and Sasuke could turn and complain about how Kakashi was being a bastard. Naruto would say it was Sasuke's own fault. He was just so big of a bastard it skipped over into his grandchild.

"...hello again, old friend." Sasuke said quietly as he patted the tree that grew there. It had been Naruto's secret. Only Sasuke knew, mostly because Sakura and Kakashi had long since died by the time it came around. He could remember it as if it was today...

* * *

"_Oi! Sasuke-teme..." Naruto called from upon the crest of the small hill. Sasuke muttered and grumbled as he climbed up the soft slope. He was too old for this crap._

"_What the hell are you doing up here Dobe? It's gonna snow any day now, and here you are sitting on the god damn ground... geeze... are you really that stupid?" Sasuke bitched at the other as he crossed his arms and stood looking at the other._

"_...ah stop your bitching bastard. I like it here. You can hear... you can hear everything that was worth becoming a shinobi for from up here." Naruto said this with a glazed look in his eyes. Falling into silence. _

_Sasuke huffed softly, before joining the other at the base of the tree. The two of them silent as they listened. Sasuke could hear what Naruto was talking about. He understood Naruto better than he let on; Naruto knew him better than he knew himself. _

"_...I'd want to be here forever."_ _Naruto said softly_.

"_...you're not going anywhere's Dobe."_

"_...yeah. You're right of course. Someone has to keep you in line." Naruto replied with a tone more serious than the conversation should have. _

"_...I wont be in a rush." Sasuke murmured reassuringly. His eyes going glassy. He knew what they were really talking about. He wished Naruto did just mean what he was saying. Not... not what was 'underneath the underneath'._

"_...you take forever to get anywhere's bastard." Naruto whispered, leaning back to rest against the tree._

"_Fine!...stay out here in the god damn cold and die for all I care!" Sasuke choked out. He tried to make it sound angry, to act upset. Yet he couldn't hide the tears in his voice, or deny the hand that now gave one of Naruto's a last squeeze. He stood up and walked away, hoping his back stood proud. That his clan symbol was displayed with honor. But... mostly... he hoped he had misheard and misunderstood that conversation._

_Sasuke wasn't surprised he was right.

* * *

_

_Naruto was found dead. His aged body having finally moved past it's living date. A small smile curled on his lips, and looking for all the world... like he had sat down to listen to the world pass him by in the peaceful setting. Sitting under the small Sakura tree._

_Sasuke took charge of what was to happen to Naruto's body._

_Burnt to ash, and those ashes loving buried and hidden among the dirt and roots of the Sakura tree he died under. Sasuke was the only one who knew where Naruto was buried... what had happened to the ashes. He thought Naruto would like it better that way. _

_Naruto and him... others had a tendency to not understand them. So they would just go along by themselves. Speaking and understanding what the other was saying... 'underneath the underneath'...

* * *

_

...Sasuke still wondered. About different things really. Yet... they didn't seem as important when he sat under the Sakura tree.

Sasuke wondered, as his drifted off in the lulling warmth of summer rays, if Kakashi could see 'underneath the underneath'... it would be a shame if he couldn't. But... oh well...

And with that passing thought...Sasuke drifted off...

* * *

**Drace:**_ well... i'll leave you all to your own thoughts on this one. I got the idea from a fanfiction that is on the go... the title of it really. never actually read it. it's titled "hello, old friend"... I kept getting the image of Sasuke or Naruto visiting the other's grave or something. So... ta-da! And yes, Kakashi is the name of the grandkid cause I was trying to imply that Kakashi-sensei never got a chance to get married or have a lover maybe... dunno... I was going to imply that Sasuke's dauther was actually Sakura's child, but after she had died on a mission he had adopted the girl... but decided I wanted to only focus on Naruto and Sasuke and death. So yeah... anyways. tell me what ya think! or just... not._


	3. Another :unknown

**Another**

Another year gone by.

Another mission done. Another day, another hour, another minute.

So many another's.

Just like there was supposed to be "another" chance.

Another meeting. Another joint mission. Another "hello". Another chance to see him smile. Another time to eat together. Another moment to spend together. Another chance to finally say "I love you". Another another another...

But... ...there would be no more. There wasn't _another_ chance to do any of those things.

No chance to watch the stars twinkle in the night sky as the sun set about its eternal dance across the sky. No chance to whisper in the dark to each other. No chance to welcome him home after a mission, or to be welcomed home by him. No more chance to merely look upon him and wish he was mine. ...another meant to be grabbed... but he too let him pass by like others before him.

Another ...loved one lost.


	4. Believe it :naruto

_**Believe it

* * *

**_

It ended like life does. Not the happy dreams and fairy tales we like to listen to as innocent children. The hero being victorious in all of his quests, and living happily ever after. It was a sad story, one of loss and a little too late. A horror story. So tragic.

Sakura sniffled as she wiped at her cheeks running with tears. She wishes she was stronger… maybe then she could have helped Sasuke, but she wasn't. She was too hurt to help him with his pain. Kakashi was a mess as well. Iruka was helping Kakashi, soothing him with words… words that cut like a fine honed blade because of their truth.

The rookies and team Gai were also there. Everyone in varying stages of tears and hysterics. Hinata was shivering and crying silently. The Godaime was sobbing into Jiraiya's arms… something about never should have given him that cursed chain.

Sasuke was the worst though. He was on his knees, head bowed and chest heaving in the sobs echoing through him. He'd use what little words he could to say sorry three times, and curses himself six. Sakura knew it wasn't Sasuke's fault, anyone's really. It was a guilt to them all. To even the Hokage, to her, to her sensei and teammate. No one was free from the punishment of ignorance.

Sakura looked at the un-cheery urn that held her bright hopeful teammates ashes. His body had been so rotten that no one could bear to see upon it. Iruka had said it was unfair to Naruto to try and ease those who were the cause of his death. Iruka hadn't cried at all today. He'd shed his tears weeks ago… when it actually mattered. When the death truly was worth crying for.

Sakura looked over to where the proud little Chunin teacher stood. He had been the one who had found Naruto. He had gone against the Hokage's own orders… and brought back a corpse that would have been found so late that only a ghastly ruin of bones and molded bug eaten flesh would have remained. He brought it back and spit on the ground before the entire village as he called them monsters, demons so sick and evil it must have been Kami-sama's orders to the Kyuubi no Kitsune to wipe such vile beasts from existence, and only a pity that it failed.

Sakura bowed her head as more tears rained down her face. She had been happy Naruto hadn't been around to pester her. He had been gone for a whole month! How wonderful! A month with Sasuke-kun alone! Sasuke hadn't minded much either, he had said once that it was good to not have to take twice as long to do a mission with the dobe away. Kakashi had commented that Naruto was clumsy and should change his clothing choice. Everyone, even the Hokage and Jiraiya had said something to the effect of Naruto's short comings. Everyone except Iruka. He had been worried and asked about when Naruto was to return. If he could go look for him. If he could make sure that something hadn't come up on his way back… perhaps a sudden attack by someone or something.

Everyone made the mistake to mock Iruka's worry.

It became a joke. People would say, oh yeah, Naruto will run out of food and starve! No no water! Or Orochimaru will pop up and attack! Bandits! A demon! A tree will trip him and he'll fall of a cliff and into a river and drown.

It was a sick wake up call when Iruka brought Naruto back dead. A mangled corpse to haunt their nights, and laugh hollowly at them with it's rotten flesh and maggot filled eyes. The broken legs, twisted arm and deep gapping wound that slash from left to right, exposing that Naruto was another flesh and blood human like everyone else. All the right bits of human inside… minus what animals had torn out and eaten.

Iruka had known Naruto had needed him. That he was taking too long for a simple mission. He had hated the village when he returned. He now no longer wore the headband of Konoha. He said he'd serve no Hokage that held no heart.

As Sakura again looked over to Sasuke trying to find some outlet to a pain that nothing would ever soothe… she wanted to laugh bitterly. Naruto was a man to the end. He had been captured… a group of Stone nins had caught him on his return. They tortured him, he died without a word past his lips. He stated only one sentence before he went silent. His last words, as future would go. The ANBU who'd uncovered the truth of Naruto's death and torture were shamed, but reported it to Hokage and when Iruka demanded to know how Naruto was killed, she told him. He had lifted his own chin and said that he wasn't surprised, Naruto was a TRUE shinobi. A man. It was only a shame no one ever cared enough so that he might have had a turn to make Konoha a village to be proud of.

The sudden crack of thunder shook everyone. The sky opened the ocean upon their heads. Lightening danced angrily in the sky. Nature cursing them all. Sakura had the presence of mind to pull Sasuke with her when everyone was leaving, he tried to fight, but was too weakened and drained to do much. She cast one last glance to the proud little grave that now held Naruto's ashes.

The tiny shrine held a stone figure of a fox kit, looking as though it was laughing at you. Sitting down, head tilted to the left, eyes curved in mirth. The mouth open in a laugh, the bushy tails –all nine of them- danced about it. A small leaf, caved to look like one that might have fallen upon the statue –as opposed to being part of it- laid upon the forehead of the fox. A shrine offering of a cup ramen sat to the right of the fox, under the tiny roof shelter of the shrine. The engraving that made the base upon which the fox sat was 'Uzumaki Naruto'. To the left and right of the small shrine was two polished stone rocks. Engraved upon the left one was the cause of Naruto's death, his treatment as a child, and his way of life to all others. His dreams, loves, and hopes that were killed in his death.

'Be remembered, the death of Naruto. A shinobi hated, and despised by all. Looked down on, spat on, and called all manner of ill names. A shinobi who at birth was charged with the care of holding the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Who held this charge with no ill to others. Who smiled towards those whom hit, beat, and abused his existence. A boy-man who held no ill to his village or teammates. Who was loyal, true to his word and never broke his word. Who showed compassion even to those whom he fought against. Naruto, the shinobi who found the simple love of ramen a pleasure to eat. Naruto who dreamed, bleed, sweat and died trying to be acknowledged for himself, and to become Hokage. Be remember the death of Uzumaki Naruto. The death of a shinobi who would give his life and everything he had for all of his village… and died because no one cared he was missing. No one looked for him. No one came to save him from torture in the hands of enemies he should not have encountered. Be remembered the loyal shinobi who was abandoned by the village he gave everything for…. Including his life.'

The one of the right side of the shrine was the final words Naruto would speak. The last ones to his teammates and those who had been at the grave site. And the last words he said before the Stone nins began their torture. They had admitted to the ANBU to what his last words were. They had been impressed by the fortitude a young chunin of sixteen had had.

'Oi! When I come back I want a Miso cup ramen! So Don't forget right? I should be back in three days tops!'

'…You might as well kill me now. I will say nothing to you all. I am a Konohagakure shinobi. I am loyal to my village. My heart, soul, body, mind and blood is to that village. I could not, would not, will not, and never will betray them. My most precious of people live there, and I will be a rotten corpse before I will ever allow anyone to use me to attack my village. And THAT is my nindo. I will die for Konoha. Believe it.'

And in the end… everyone was sad to realize… they had never listened. Never believed. But now….

Now they _Believe it_.

* * *

**Drace:**_ a little darker than the others. just popped out when i read some drabble and the word loyalty came up.. i'm like... oh... idea... better go write that. so here it is. I decided that i wanted to slap up everyone... Iruka is the only one who really cares i think. anyways... feel free to give a suggestion to write something... i'm just kinda popping these out randomly._


End file.
